The Burn

THE STORY: Mercedes is an outsider. Tara makes sure she knows it. When a high school production of The Crucible forces them together, tensions escalate into acts of bullying—both online and IRL. THE BURN explores what happens to a teacher and his students when a classroom conflict turns into an online witch hunt.

“…The playwright succinctly, yet emotionally, portrays the way social media has opened the door for modern day witch-hunts…Audiences familiar with The Crucible will marvel at how seamlessly [Dawkins] has both updated that script and paid homage to the classic. This is an important play…that will move audiences of all ages, inspire conversation and won’t soon be forgotten.” —ChicagoTheatreReview.com. “…fresh, bold…THE BURN is sharp, current, truly topical and always immersive…In its short 90 minutes, THE BURN pushes you to ponder much: truth, integrity, the power of groups, the sanctity of your name and cyber bullying.” —Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL). “…moving, emotional, and powerful, with characters Dawkins is unafraid to place firmly into moral gray area, each of them justifying their actions in sometimes surprisingly valid ways. [THE BURN] understands so intricately the lives of teenage girls—the challenges they face, the ways they struggle to cope, and the multiplicity of identities they have to shape in an increasingly digital world.” —SplashMags.com.